It is known that a supply of oxygen to a wound promotes healing and reduces scarring. It is believed that increased oxygen content of tissue fluids promotes metabolism and repair of damaged tissues.
It is also known that if a wound produces a large amount of exudate, such as if a wound becomes chronic and non-healing or when infection becomes established, the healing process can be slowed down and can lead to maceration of the surrounding skin. Such wounds can produce large volumes of exudate and this can cause significant problems in wound treatment.